Mambazham – Vailoppilli Sreedhara Menon

“Mambazham” became popular and went down as golden letters of malayalam poems. Vailoppilli Sreedhara Menon got Kendra Sahithya Academy award (1964 and 1971) and Vayalar Award for 1981. . Vailoppilli Sreedhara Menon was born on 11 May 1911 in Kaloor, Ernakulam district, Kerala.

Mambazham in Malayalam language translates to “ripe mango”. The poet depicts memories of an unfortunate mother who just lost her child. “Mambazham” begins with a mother weeping when she notices a ripe mango fruit falling from the tree in her courtyard. She regretfully remembers an incident, when she scolded her child for plucking the mango flowers. She warned him that, if he plucked the flowers it would never yield fruits. The child felt disheartened and sad. He threw away the mango flowers, which he plucked from the tree and arrogantly declared that he would never go near the tree again, even for picking the mangoes. The poet reminds us that children are like GOD and their words could come true.